The Nymph's Gift to the Wolf
by WikedFae
Summary: Snippets of laughter, love and life in the face of a world tearing itself apart. No one knows how much another will shape their lives, or just what wonderful gifts they can be. RL/NT
1. Glowing Gazes in the Gloom

**The Nymph's Gift to the Wolf**

Summary: Snippets of laughter, love and life in the face of a world tearing itself apart. No one knows how much another will shape their lives, or just what wonderful gifts they can be. RL/NT  
Disclaimer: Seriously? There's even a question regarding this matter?

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Chapter 1: Glowing Gazes in the Gloom

It wasn't the first time he'd taken note of her. It had always been difficult to ignore her presence. Even if he hadn't noticed her handsomeness and spirit, it was impossible to block out the sounds of destruction that preceded her. The crashes in the hallway announcing that the umbrella stand had once again fallen over, followed by the inevitable shrieks of that horrid oil-based banshee were the heralds of her arrival, but no matter how awful the cacophony was, it brought a bit of joy to his heart. He never harbored any hope and never deluded himself into thinking she could ever be attracted to him, let alone deem him worthy of entering a relationship with her; nevertheless, his anticipation always grew throughout the day as he awaited the evening hours when she would come to the house.

It was on one such evening when he found himself listlessly gazing out the window at the dreary London fog that had rolled in earlier. The weather had gotten colder and drearier over the last few weeks and he had hoped to glimpse the sun at least once today. Though the sun's absence was a disappointment, Remus couldn't fight the small smile that broke the long planes of his face when he glimpsed a short, elderly woman with wispy, white hair making her way down the street. When she arrived at the walkway to Grimmauld Place, she purposefully crossed the barrier and shifted back into her more natural form. The transformation was not as impressive as that of an animagus, but he was always stunned by how seamless it was. She had been trained well and had developed her own flair for the dramatic as he noticed an intoxicating copper shimmer run the length of her hair as it proceeded to darken into her preferred vibrant pink and purple hues. _Beautiful_, he thought, as a sigh escaped his lips. Luckily, he managed to turn the sigh of longing into one of boredom as he saw Molly entering the parlor out of the corner of his eye. It wouldn't do to have her speculate and gossip to the rest of the Order that their resident werewolf had formed an attachment to a colleague thirteen years his junior. Regardless of the diminished impact the age difference had in wizarding terms, Tonks was still only as old as the second Weasley son, Charlie. He wouldn't survive.

If the meeting had been more interesting, he might not have had to dwell on his imminent demise and his ridiculous behavior towards the Auror sitting in the far corner of the room. Vaguely, he noted the topic of discussion was dealing with supply stocks—not his field of expertise, nor hers, it seemed as he saw her heave a great sigh and fidget with the hem of her sleeve. Chuckling to himself, he gave into his wandering thoughts, glad no Legilimens was around to see into his traitorous mind. His reverie ended suddenly with the scraping of chairs and benches as the Order broke the meeting and stood to go about with business. As he looked around at those milling about, extinguishing candles, or withdrawing to other corners of the house, he saw another set of eyes staring at him intently. The light of the day had waned considerably, intensifying the glow of the eyes, but he swore they only got brighter in the reflecting candlelight. A moment later he realized they _were_ growing brighter, even changing color. Within seconds, he was staring at the mirror image of the wolf's eyes, ablaze in their golden glory. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she stared back at him with the fierce gaze. And somewhere in his heart, a fire of hope kindled bright and brilliant. Maybe he'd survive after all.


	2. In the Warmth of the Night

**The Nymph's Gift to the Wolf**

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Chapter 2: In the Warmth of the Night

It was so warm. And soft. _Surprisingly so_, she thought. Beneath the coarse outer layer was a wealth of silky undertones. How much like her Remus, she mused as she stroked the fur behind his ears. Lucky for her, he was asleep, curled up contentedly on his bed. Had he been awake, he would surely chastise her upon returning to his human form the next morning. She knew he would be furious if he ever became aware that she regularly stole into his room each full moon to run her fingers through his thick pelt. She also knew he would never care for her justification that with the Wolfsbane, she wasn't in danger of losing her life. But what really drove her to pick the locks this night was the knowledge that he was terribly lonely. Regardless of how close they had grown, he still held her at a distance during this time. It wasn't fair, she decided. As she rubbed the length of his back, he twitched and arched into her hand. She smiled, thinking about how she was most likely the only person to have ever done something so brazen. When he started to dream, a wild grin broke out over her face as she watched him breathe and yip. He looked so at peace, unlike when sleep overtook his human form.

She looked towards the window at the radiant silver harbinger that plagued her love. It was unimaginable that such splendid beauty could cause so much pain for one so dear. It was bad enough with that maniac lurking out on some moor somewhere, plotting revenge and world-domination; but to have Remus thrown into the mix along with everyone else when he already had demons to battle…none of it was right. A tear leaked down her face and splashed onto her robes. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she started when a very long, very wet nose budged up against her cheek. Alarmed, she met a set of amber eyes and felt the panic churn upwards as she tasted bile. Her secret was out and it seemed Remus would be predictably unhappy. He stared down his nose at her with such an un-canine like expression of incredulity that she couldn't help but chuckle.

Clearly, he was upset but currently had no way of explicitly sharing his displeasure aside from uttering a guttural growl. Gently, she placed a hand over his muzzle and shook her head. With her other hand she scratched behind his ear and was rewarded as his growl diminished into a low rumble of contentment. Slowly, she lay down beside him and tugged on his neck indicating he should follow her lead. Their discussion would wait until tomorrow. As the clouds obscured the bright orb suspended in the sky, Tonks watched until the last glimmer of the moon faded in his eyes and he drifted off. Yes, their conversation would wait until tomorrow. And maybe, just maybe, tomorrow would be a better day than the last.


	3. Intoxicating Giddiness

**The Nymph's Gift to the Wolf**

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Chapter 3: Intoxicating Giddiness

Butterflies had invaded her stomach. Not literally, but close enough. She'd sworn she would never become a true romantic, as she was more the spontaneous and flirtatious type when in love. Her mother had sworn it would catch up to her sooner or later, trying to convince Tonks that when that moment arrived, it would knock her off her feet. But like with most things in life, Tonks was wary and skeptical that the described feeling would ever blossom within. And she had been wrong. Here it was, gamboling wildly through her soul, making her heart feel as if it would explode from beating too quickly. A glance towards her mother told the older woman that wisdom had won out again and they shared an encouraging embrace. As they pulled apart, Andromeda began to smooth the wrinkled fabric of her daughter's wedding dress.

It was a simple dress for a simple occasion—for an occasion that was filled with anything _but_ simple symbolism. Perhaps Remus' proposal would have been more romantic had it not come after heated arguments, much badgering and arm-twisting, but at this moment, Tonks could not have cared less. The battle only a month before had reinforced the grave awareness that no one was safe in this horrible reality. But this moment, this was not anyone's reality; this was her dream woven into threads of reality and she reveled in the transformation for as long as she could. A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie and back into her dressing room. The door creaked open slowly as her father peeked inside to ensure she was decent and ready for her trip up the aisle. When he fully entered, a small, proud smile graced his features and when he crossed to her side, a slight blush crept up her cheeks which she immediately suppressed. The blushing bride was perhaps a bit too "romantic cliché" and Tonks didn't want her entire reputation to become a smoldering pile of ashes by the end of the day. A brief kiss from her father, as well as words of love, and the entourage was off, ascending the staircases of Grimmauld Place heading towards the attic. Tonks had not been allowed to see the work the resident Order members had done to transform the dank and musty floor, but she never expected the elegance that met her at the top of the steps.

Molly had clearly out-done herself with Doxy spray and had somehow managed to bar Kreacher from sneaking into the room to stash away the pilfered family heirlooms. The attic positively sparkled. It glowed with a serene light and she was astonished to see one half of the roof had been removed to be replaced with stained-glass, pale enough to discern the skyline of London, but vibrant enough to spread a wealth of color throughout the space. Soft chimes echoed through the room, emanating from the enchanted foxgloves that poured out of wall sconces. The atmosphere was one filled with anticipation and happiness at the wonderful ceremony about to take place in an otherwise gray and trying world. Tonks caught Molly's eyes and mouthed a 'thank you' to her before acknowledging Kingsley, who had offered to preside over the ceremony, even though it would not be truly legally binding. Tonks felt her bouquet being pressed into her hands and an encouraging shove from her mother. As she made her way across the carpeted aisle, she examined her small bouquet of heliotropes with the single shoot of lupine in the center. She thought about how her life should be different after this day, but also how she doubted it would change at all; she wondered how long it would be until their next tussle over patrols or how quickly they would realize their time could run out early and subsequently wake in each other's arms. Before she knew it, she had reached the small altar and turned to the man at her side.

"I have something for you," she said as she held out her flowers. Strong hands wrapped around hers and together they placed the bouquet before the candles on the altar. As she lifted her head to meet his gaze steadily, all her worries evaporated and they shared a smile. At that moment, they were the only two souls in the world.

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A/N: Heliotropes were thought to have originated from the transformation of Clytia/Clytie, the passionate ocean nymph enamored with Apollo/Helios. No, I did not use this tale to suggest any raging jealousy on Tonks' part; more so, I chose to use it because of the everlasting love Clytia harbored which forced her to become the flower after her love did not return her affections. (Anyone interested in the story can find the entire tale in Ovid's _Metamorphoses_.)


	4. Laughter Wrapped in Silence

**The Nymph's Gift to the Wolf**

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Chapter 4: Laughter Wrapped in Silence

The stairs creaked painfully under his heavy footfalls as Remus dragged himself up to the second floor. It had been a long day, tracking the werewolf pack through the forests and glades of the English countryside. As he sagged against the wall of the landing, he heard muffled voices coming from the door of the suite he and Tonks had surreptitiously commandeered after their wedding day. Eventually, if he could get his legs to stop shaking from exhaustion, the bed inside those chambers was his goal. His acute hearing allowed him to discern that Andromeda had come to visit and was avidly speaking with Tonks in the sitting area. Then the sound of a gurgle reached his ears. Teddy was awake, presumably sitting in his grandmother's lap as she bounced him up and down. Mustering the strength, he shuffled down the hallway and towards the door. But upon reaching the doorway, he paused, unable to make his hands push against the oak or grasp the brass knob. Those actions would mean returning to his other life. A life he could so easily lose if things went poorly for him in the war. But oh, how he wished this domestic existence had never settled about his shoulders. He loved her dearly and had anticipated the birth without an ounce of anxiety until the very end. The ascertainment and affirmation of the Order's disadvantage had hounded his thoughts and clawed its way into his dreams during those last months, though. And they were going to bring a child into this mess? Remus realized his breathing had become shallow and quick and grasped for the doorframe to steady himself as he swayed on the landing. He was about to fall to his knees from the overwhelming despair when a wonderful sound reached his ears. Laughter, high and sweet. A child's laugh. His son's laugh. _His son._ It was enough to gather his courage.

Pushing the door open slightly, his gaze alighted on a breathtaking scene. Teddy was not, as Remus had originally thought, perched upon his grandmother's lap, rather upon his mother's. Tonks was gazing lovingly down at her child as he performed the simplest of Metamorphmagous talents—the changing of his hair color. The reason for Teddy's giggling, however, was that Tonks had begun mimicking every shade he could invent. Remus swore he saw the entire spectrum coloring his son's hair, root to tip—even some colors he hadn't known existed. Tonks kept pace nicely and soon added her irises into the mix. Her eyes began flashing the opposite colors to the favored tint of her hair and Remus couldn't help but laugh as Teddy's eyes grew wide with astonishment at the rainbow kaleidoscope playing over his mother's features. The intrusion of his baritone chortle earned him the attention of every occupant in the room, aside from his son.

"Oh good, you're back," said Tonks as she looked up at him. Remus stood grinning like an idiot until Tonks realized her eyes and hair were still flashing like a loud billboard. Once her coloring returned to normal, Remus entered the room and went over to greet his son. As he gently took him from Tonks' arms, Andromeda broke the silence. "Dora and I were just talking about how fast he's growing."

"Yes, that he is," Remus replied, captivated by his son's eyes. "It's hard to believe he's not even four months." Teddy seemed to agree with this sentiment as he shook his head and gurgled giddily.

"Remus, I have a meeting to attend at the Auror headquarters this afternoon," Tonks interjected, "but if you're watching this little monster tonight, it might be best if you got some rest now. You look like death warmed over."

"I love you, too," Remus muttered, dropping a kiss onto Tonk's forehead before she could run off to gather her Ministry materials. "Andromeda, would it be possible for you to watch him for another hour or so?" he pleaded.

"Of course, always happy to help with the newest member of the family," she said as she took Teddy from the arms of his father. As Tonks clumsily bustled around, her mother quietly came to his side and continued quietly, "Teddy has been such a wonderful gift, Remus." He saw tears misting her eyes as she gazed down at the infant in her arms. Looking at both his wife and son, a feeling of warmth spread throughout his body and invaded his heart, chasing away the gnawing fears and malicious insecurities.

"…Yes, he has been. Both of them have been, really," he sighed. "And to think back when I thought nothing good would come from this struggle…" His voice dropped off as his thoughts turned to the ones they had already lost.

The only sign Andromeda gave to indicate her thoughts dwelled on the deaths as well was the waver in her voice. "You'd better get started on the much-needed sleep, Remus."

Quietly, he excused himself and walked into the bedroom, only to be followed shortly by his wife. Apparently she had misplaced something, as she proceeded to destroy anything clean and orderly in her path. Remus could have commented on the newly acquired state of the room, but decided that discussion could wait until later, collapsed unceremoniously onto the bed and tiredly kicked off his shoes. Having found what she needed, Tonks came to his side, tousling his hair before slinging her bag onto her back, throwing him a wry smile over her shoulder and heading out the door. As his head sank onto the pillow and his eyes slid shut, the sound of Teddy's babbling drifted through the closed door. Remus smiled to himself. The rest of the house was cocooned in silence, but within these chambers, he truly had laughter, love and life.

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A/N: Well, we're almost at the end. I've planned one more chapter to round out the story and I'm hoping to have it completed by this weekend. I will be away from my computer for a while, so if it's not up until Sunday night, I apologize.


	5. Epilogue

**The Nymph's Gift to the Wolf**

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Epilogue: The Gift to Life

_June 7__th__, 2009_

"Go ahead, Ted. It's your time now." The young boy glanced at his grandmother's retreating back. As she withdrew to the grave of her late husband, he stepped forward and kneeled at the footstone of his parents' grave. It wasn't the first time he'd ever visited their final resting place, but no matter how many times he went, it always seemed there was something new about the experience. Somehow the changes comforted him; it was like he was granted a thousand chances at meeting his parents. No judgments, no expectations, only the exploration of his feelings towards two people responsible for giving him a life and falling to an enemy in the pursuit of changing the world for the better.

"Hi Mum, Dad. It's Teddy," he said as he fidgeted, pulling blades of grass through his fingers. His sandy blonde hair swung forward to obscure his eyes as he hung his head and blinked inquisitively at the graves. "I've got some exciting news for you. I got my Hogwarts letter…not that Grandmother ever doubted for a second I wouldn't be accepted. With talents like mine, who wouldn't let me in?" A rueful chuckle escaped his lips. "Don't worry—I'm not getting full of myself. Harry's seen to that. He told me to say 'hi' for him." Teddy fell silent for a moment. "He also told me to tell you, he wishes you could see little James. Supposedly the 'spitting image' of his namesake—at least that's what Grandmother says. He's nice enough as a playmate, even if he is younger than me. Doesn't care about getting into trouble either. Last week he levitated the cookie jar into the living room while Ginny wasn't looking. Broke into a million pieces after he'd gotten a handful out. Made an awful racket. At least Albus is quieter…Grandmother told me there were times she'd wished I'd been a bit quieter. Shame I can't remember…" he drifted off as church bells chimed across the meadow.

A breeze blew in from the south, chasing the encroaching heat away as the young boy strafed his hand through his mop of hair. More moments of silence reigned. Then, "I'm sorry I can't cry for you." The confession fell onto the silence of the graveyard, stark and deafening in its reality. "I wish I could remember," he continued, "…maybe then I wouldn't feel so strange when tears come to everyone else's eyes. But maybe it's better this way. The first of the Second War orphans without memories. Grandmother says it's a blessing in disguise. There's nothing for me to miss…and no nightmares to haunt my sleep." He let a sigh be carried by the zephyr weaving through the tombstones, a gentle whisper of resignation and acceptance.

Looking up he saw his grandmother had moved towards the gates of the cemetery and knew his time this week was almost up. Turning his attention back to the graves, he pulled a colorful cylindrical object from his pocket. Gently, he nestled it between the flowers covering his mother's side of the headstone. "I have something for you, Mum. Found it in a Muggle shop a few days ago and it made me think of you…though I can't imagine why." As he withdrew, he looked down at his father's side of the grave. "Sorry I don't have something to give you, Dad. But maybe I have something better." A wistful and hopeful smile tugged at his lips. "Grandmother told me the other day that I have your laugh. She said she couldn't be sure before, because she didn't hear you laugh enough, but she's almost positive about it now." His voice sank to a whisper. "That's my promise to you, Dad. I'll laugh for you, at least once every day. It's such a shame you didn't get the chance."

He backed away slowly and turned to leave. When the sunbeams shone down from above and he basked in their warmth, though, he turned to face the gravesite again. "Thank you…thank you for my life…and thank you for the world I live in…goodbye Mum, Dad…I'll see you later."

As the young boy made his way back to his grandmother's side, it seemed the gusts of wind carried an approving baritone chuckle on them and the glass beads of the kaleidoscope twinkled proudly in the morning sun.

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A/N: And there we have it! I hope you have enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Sorry I didn't get a chance to upload it yesterday as previously stated…life got in the way, as it tends to. This was by far the most difficult chapter to write, mainly because I don't think like an eleven year old anymore. That being said, I wanted to get this out as quickly as possible, so any spelling mistakes or awkward sentence compositions are wholly my fault! Finally, THANK YOU to my reviewers! Your feedback and encouragement have meant so much to me!


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